ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · coach · last · fan · bore · bay · vault · wax

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. current — of water
  7. last — finally
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. current — electric
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wax — to grow
  14. current — happening now
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. last — final
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. last — to go on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com